sourceDenzel Jermaine Washington, Jr. (born December 28, 1954) is a two-time Academy Award-winning American film actor and occasional director and stage actor.He's 52!
Washington was born in Mount Vernon, New York; he has an older sister, Lorice, and a younger brother. His father, Dillwyn, Virginia-born Reverend Denzel Washington, was an ordained Pentecostal minister, he worked for the Water Department and at a local department store, "S. Klein". His mother, Lennis, a beauty parlor owner, was born in GeorgiaHarlem. Washington was banned from watching movies by his parents, who divorced when he was fourteen. He subsequently went through a rebellious stage, which ended when several friends were sent to prison. His mother's reaction to his behavioral problems was to send him to preparatory school, and later on he was sent to Fordham University, where he discovered acting and earned a degree in journalism.Washington's first film role was in the 1977 made-for-television movie Wilma. His big break came when he starred in the popular television hospital drama, St. Elsewhere campaigner . He was one of a few actors to appear on the series for its entire six-year run. In 1987, after appearing in several minor theatrical films and stage roles, Washington starred as South African anti-apartheidSteve Biko in Richard Attenborough's Cry Freedom, a role for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. In 1989, Washington won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for playing a defiant, self-possessed ex-slave in the film Glory. Also that same year, he gave a powerful performance as Reuben James, a Caribbean-born man who turned from a British Army paratrooper into a vigilante in For Queen and Country.In 1983, Washington married actress Pauletta Pearson (now Pauletta Washington), whom he met on the set of his first screen role, Wilma. The couple has four children: John David (b. 1983), who signed a football contract with the St. Louis Rams in May 2006 after playing college ball at Morehouse; Katia (b. 1987), who is attending Yale University, Olivia (b. 1991) and Malcolm (b. 1991) (named after Malcolm X). In 1995, the couple renewed their wedding vows in South Africa with Archbishop Desmond Tutu officiating.Other December 28th Birthdays:Martin Milner-Actor 75Maggie Smith-Actress/Harry Potter 72Edgar Winter-Singer 60Joe Diffie-Country Singer 48Marty Roe-Country Singer/Diamond Rio 46Malcolm Gets-Actor/Caroline in the City 42Seth Meyers-Comedian 33John Legend-Singer 28Sienna Miller-Actress 25Mackenzie Rosman-Actress/7th Heaven 17
